Bottle packages



Dea 1o, 1968 R. A. FALLER 3,415,358

BOTTLE PACKAGES Filed Deo. 29, 196e F/ G. 4 l E n fPz/Do/ PH A. FALLER BY anni?.

ATTORNEY d United States Patent Oli ice 3,415,358 Patented Dee. 10, 1968 3,415,358 BOTTLE PACKAGES Rudolph A. Faller, Cincinnati, Ohio, assiguor to Hoerner Waldorf Corporation, St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 29, 1966, Ser. No. 605,660 1 Claim. (Cl. 206-46) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A bottle package including in combination a bottle of liquid and a carton of corrugated paperboard, the corrugated medium being absorbent and the inner liner having perforations through which liquid may penetrate for absorption by the medium if the bottle be broken, the outer liner being imperforate.

This invention relates to an improvement in bottle packages, and deals particularly with a folder designed to contain a bottle of liquid which is arranged to absorb the liquid in the event the bottle breaks.

When bottles containing liquid are shipped by mail, the post otlice requires that there be sulicient absorbent material in the package that the liquid will be completely absorbed so as not to cause damage to other packages. As a result, it is common practice to insert one or more pads of absorbent material in the package to accomplish the necessary result. This obvious entails considerable expense` to the shipper.

I have found that if the corrugated paperboard oftentimes used for the shipment of liquid in bottles be provided with an inside liner and corrugated medium made of highly absorbent paper and if the inner liner and portions off the corrugated medium were slit or perforated to allow the liquid to be absorbed both by the inner liner and the corrugated medium, the absorbent pad may be eliminated. In view of the fact that the board may be slit or perforated at the same time it is being die cut, the folders or cartons thus produced may be made at no appreciable increase in cost over a conventional carton made of similar materials.

An object of the present invention resides in the provision of a carton formed of corrugated paperboard having a relatively nonabsorbent outer liner, and a relatively more absorbent inner liner and corrugated medium. The inner surface of the corrugated board is perforated along spaced lines of perforations, the perforations penetrating the inner liner and extending into the corrugated medium, leaving the outer liner imperforate. As a result, liquid may penetrate through the inner liner and `be readily absorbed by the inner liner and corrugated medium in the event the bottle breaks.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claim.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the carton or folder in closed position thereof.

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the folder, the position of the section being indicated by the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view through the folder, the position of the section being indicated by the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic view of the blank from which the folder is formed.

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 showing the perforated inner surface ofthe folder.

FIGURE 6 is a greatly enlarged view through the corrugated paperboard, the position of the section being indicated by the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5.`

FIGURE 7 is a greatly enlarged view through one of the cut creased gussets, the position of the section being indicated by the line 7-7 of FIGURE 5.

The particular folder illustrated, being typical of the `structure which may be `used for the purpose, is shown in blank form in FIGURE 4 of the drawings. As indicated, the blank includes a bottom panel 10 hingedly connected along parallel fold lines 11 and 12 to end walls 13 and 14 respectively. These end walls are hingedly connected along fold lines 15 and 16 to top walls 17 and 19` respectively. The top wall 19 includes a projecting tongue 20 which is designed to overlap and llie beneath the edge of the top panel 17 when the folder is assembled.

The blank is also provided with a pair of parallel fold lines 21 which intersect the previously described fold lines at right angles. The fold lines 21 connect the bottom panel 10 with a pair of outer side walls 22, and connect the end walls 13 and 14 to gusset flaps 23, the gusset flaps 23 being also hinged to the ends of the side walls 22 along extensions of the fold lines 11 and 12. The gusset flaps 23 are divided into two equal triangular portions by diagonally extending cut score lines 24 which extend across the gusset flaps 23 from the junctures between the fold lines 21 and the fold lines 11 and 12. The cut score lines 24 extend through the inner liner and corrugated medium, as will be described. The fold lines 21 also connect the top panels 17 and 19 to inner side wall flanges 25 which are designed to extend outwardly to the side walls 22 when the folder is erected.

As is indicated in FIGURES 5 and 6 of the drawings, the inner liner is slit or perforated to permit the liquid to penetrate into the space between the flutes of the corrugation. As indicated in FIGURE 6, the paperboard includes an outer line 26, an inner liner 27, and a fluted corrugated medium 29 secured between the two liners. Preferably the outer liner 26 is somewhat less absorbent than the paperboard forming the inner liner 27 or the corrugated medium 29. As is also indicated in FIGURE 6, the slits or perforations 30 extend through the inner liner 27 and partially through the corrugated medium 29.

In the particular arrangement illustrated, the flutes of the corrugated paperboard extend longitudinally of the blank, or parallel to the fold lines 21. Spaced lines of slits or perforations 30 are shown extending across the blank parallel to the fold lines 11, 12, 15 and 16. Other `spaced lines of perforations 31 extend parallel to the flutes to simplify the penetration ofthe liquid.

In erecting the carton, the end walls 13 and 14 are folded upwardly along the fold lines 11 and 12, and the side walls 22 are folded upwardly along the fold lines 21. Simultaneously, the gusset flaps 23 are folded inwardly along the cut score lines 24, the pontions of the gusset flaps on opposite sides of the cut score lines 24 folding into face contact along the inner surfaces of the end walls 13 and 14. The flanges 25 are folded into right angular relation to the top panels 17 and 19, and these flanges 25 are folded downwardly and outwardly of the side walls 22, with the tongue 20 extending beneath the free edge 32 of the top wall 17, as is indicated in FIGURE 2 of the drawings. If desired, tape or an address sticker may be applied over the joint.

As has been described, the cut score lines 24 are in the inner surface and extend through the inner liner 27 and at least the major portion of the corrugated medium 29. This leaves the outer liner 26 intact, as indicated in FIG- URE 7 of the drawings.

In the event the bottle of liquid, which is indicated diagrammatically by broken lines at B in FIGURE 3 of the drawings, is broken, the liquid will penetrate through the inner liner 27 and into the flutes of the corrugated medium, the surface being sufficient to absorb the liquid contents. In the event the surface area is insufficient to absorb the entire contents of the bottle, an absorptive pad may be used which is capable of absorbing the excess. Obviously, the size and thickness of the pad may be greatly reduced from that which would normally be provided. In actual practice, the pad may often be completely eliminated, saving the entire expense.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my package, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the following claim without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A bottle package comprising in combination:

a generally rectangular carton of corrugated paperboard having a perforate linner liner, an absorbent corrugated medium and an imperforate outer liner,

said inner liner being spa'cedly perforated over substantially its whole surface,

said medium having an absorbency greater than that of said inner liner,

said carton having a bottom wall and side and end walls hingedly connected to said bottom wall,

gusset flaps connecting said side and end walls adapted to fold inwardly whereby when said carton is erected, said side and end walls form a liquid tight generally rectangular compartment,

a first top flap hingedly connected to one end wall,

iirst side wall flaps hinged to the sides of said rst top flap and overlying said side walls,

a second top ap hingedly connected to the other end wall,

second side wall aps hinged to the sides of said second top ilap and overlying said side walls, said first and second side Wall flaps extending substantially in end abutting relation,

a tongue on said second top flap overlapping said irst top ap,

a bottle within said carton containing liquid, whereby the absorbency of said paperboard in said carton is sufficient to absorb the liquid contents of said bottle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,458,737 1/ 1949 Salkowitz 206-46 2,649,958 8/ 1953 Rausch 206-46 2,809,745 10/ 1957 Bramming 206--46 3,228,491 1/1966 Gatsos 161-113 X 3,267,633 8/1966 Goodman 206-78 X 1,917,886 7/1933 Hogan.

2,533,773 12/1950 De La Foret.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

J. M. CASKIE, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 

